Being a caregiver to your loved one with mesothelioma may bring on a myriad of thoughts and feelings and present new challenges to overcome. Most caregivers admit that the holiday season feels different than the ones before…
Read More- Self-Care for Caregivers: Adjusting Holiday Expectations (Asbestos.com).
For more than 70 years, the month of May has been recognized as Mental Health Awareness month. Its goal is to increase awareness of mental health issues in our community and decrease the stigma toward people struggling with mental health issues.
Veterans battling mesothelioma struggle with many emotions on Veterans Day. Here is an article I wrote about some of their struggles.
https://www.asbestos.com/blog/2021/11/10/veterans-day-vets-with-mesothelioma/
We have all been dealing with COVID-19 for about 6 months now. Some of us are understandably fearful of catching the virus due to our own or our loved ones risk factors. Some of us have survived a very scary bout with COVID. Sadly, some of us are grieving the loss of loved ones due to complications of this virus. Some of us are unemployed or underemployed and worried about paying our bills. Some of us are struggling to work while monitoring our young children’s virtual classwork. There are so many more individual stories that my clients have shared with me over the last few months that highlight the emotional, social, financial and physical challenges people face during this pandemic.
We are truly in uncharted territory from a medical perspective and a mental health one, as well. I jokingly tell some of my clients that I must have skipped class the day in graduate school that they discussed how to assess and treat our clients during a pandemic. Just as medical professionals are gathering data about how to best care for patients with COVID, mental health professionals are learning on the job, too.
I am seeing a definite cumulative effect of social isolation, fear of catching the virus and the financial and economic impact this pandemic is having on us all, individually and collectively as a community. A great resource for information about the emotional and mental health effects of living through this pandemic can be found on the Centers for Disease Control website. The CDC doesn’t just provide us with valuable information about medical diseases, they are a great resource for information about mental health issues as well.
The link below has some great information about how to manage stress during this trying time. Stay safe, stay well and be kind to yourself and your loved ones.
With Warm Regards,
Dana Nolan, MS LMHC NCC
Licensed Mental Health Counselor
https://www.cdc.gov/…/daily-li…/managing-stress-anxiety.html
Dana Nolan, Licensed Mental Health Counselor, was recently quoted in an article, by US NEWS & World Report about cancer patients being at a higher risk of suicide, anxiety, depression and PTSD than the rest of the population.
Some highlights from the article are below, the full article can be viewed HERE:
“Receiving a cancer diagnosis is hard, and a recent study found many cancer patients consider suicide as they struggle with their condition. . .”
“The study, which was published Jan. 7 in the American Cancer Society’s journal Cancer, is the largest to evaluate trends in suicide risk after a cancer diagnosis. Researchers found the risk of suicide is 2.5 times higher for cancer patients within a year of diagnosis compared with the general population. . .”
. . .The National Cancer Institute shows that approximately 25 percent of cancer survivors experience symptoms of depression and up to 45 percent experience anxiety. About 20 percent experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
“Mental health professionals recommend reaching out and offering support to those newly diagnosed with cancer. . .”
“Social support for cancer patients – from partners, peers, support programs or professionals in a one-on-one setting – has an important role in suicide prevention . . .”
“Dana Nolan, a licensed mental health counselor with more than 15 years of experience counseling cancer patients, said patients should be “allowed to talk about any concerns and feelings they may have about their cancer and their future.” . . .”
“… “Some people with cancer say they feel pressured to only talk with loved ones about positive outcomes such as a remission or a cure,” Nolan said. . . .”
” . . . “If you suspect that your loved one is thinking about or planning a suicide attempt, do not be afraid to directly and specifically ask, ‘Are you thinking about killing yourself?'” Nolan said. “It is a myth that asking someone about suicide will increase the risk of them doing it or that it puts the idea of suicide in their head.” . . .”
You can read the entire article written by, Karen Selby by clicking here….
Making the Resolution
The new year is a time of reflection on the past and looking forward to the future. It has become commonplace to resolve to make changes in the coming year so that we are somehow a better person (thinner, happier, healthier, richer….etc.) Many times these resolutions are related to the “shoulds” that we have bouncing around in our heads. “I should be able to fit into a size 6 jeans.” “I should stop smoking.” “I should spend less money on coffee at Starbucks.” “I should have more fun.” “I should go to church more.” “I should stop texting while I drive.”
As a therapist, I notice “shoulds” when I hear my clients talk about their perceived failings or their goals. My philosophy is not that all “shoulds” need to be accepted as truth, but that we need to question their validity and ask if those shoulds are in line with our values as a person. Sadly, sometimes we accept the “shoulds” that we hear from others (or in the media) about how we should act or what kind of person we should be.
Before you jump on the band wagon on making New Year’s resolutions, stop for a minute and think about what is important to you and if anything is missing in your life that would make you feel happier. Are you missing out on time with family and friends? Are you tired of feeling out of breath easily and not having energy to have fun? Do you wish you could find time for a hobby? Do you wish that your sex life was more satisfying? The answer to these questions of self-reflection should guide you towards the changes you may want to make.
Keeping the Resolution
Once you have figured out what change you want to make, then the challenge can be to take the steps to make it happen. You may have noticed that I just mentioned “change” and not “changes” to make. In order to increase our chances of being successful, it is best to try to one change on thing at a time. We are creatures of habit and we need to focus on changing one habit at a time. When we have had several months of establishing a new habit, then we are ready to add in another lifestyle change.
Small, incremental steps towards an attainable goal is vital. Sudden, sweeping changes towards an unrealistic goal just don’t work. Telling yourself that you are going to get up at 5 a.m. every day and go to the gym is just not realistic. It is better to start with setting a goal of exercising 2-3 days per week. If you are able to achieve that goal, then add an extra day or more time per workout. Don’t tell yourself that you are giving up your daily Starbucks habit all together, but tell yourself that you will treat yourself 1-2 times per week.
Don’t expect perfection or berate yourself if you slip up. Change is hard and there will be times that old thought patterns or behavioral habits will trip you up. Don’t throw in the towel. If your goal was to do one fun thing each weekend and you have a weekend where it just isn’t possible, don’t let the negative self-talk take over. Just resolve to plan something fun next weekend and move on.
Happy New Year to all my friends, family, clients and colleagues. !
Dana Nolan, MS LMHC
Licensed Mental Health Counselor
3 Ways Cancer Can Impact Someone’s Mental Health
Imagine being told that all the things you plan, all the moments you hope to have and all the achievements you aspire to may not happen. That’s what it is like when you hear a doctor say, “You have cancer.”
While many people know others who have battled or are currently battling some form of cancer, hearing those words never gets easier. Just because medical advancements have greatly improved the chances of remission and a long, healthy life doesn’t mean that diagnosis won’t drastically change your life. Because that’s the thing about life-changing diagnoses like cancer: They change everything.
When people imagine the experience of a typical cancer patient, what often comes to mind are physical symptoms like hair loss, nausea and fatigue. However, some of the biggest challenges a patient and their loved ones have to face are mental.
“When I was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer, I had a six-week-old baby. I wondered whether I’d see her grow up, whether she’d remember me when I was gone,” my mom explains. “I was told to get my affairs in order and hope for a year. What did that mean for my family? How would my 12-year-old son cope?” Fortunately, my mom beat the odds and is now entering her 24th year of cancer survivorship.
The types of thoughts my mom had after receiving her diagnosis can take a toll on a patient’s mental health and overall well-being, according to Dana Nolan, a licensed mental health counselor in central Florida.
Being diagnosed [with cancer] does not make someone mentally ill. But, in my experience, most cancer patients develop symptoms of anxiety and depression at some point during or after their treatment. While it is normal to experience mental health challenges, it is not necessary to simply suffer through it.
No two people respond the same way to difficult news, but there are several common mental health issues that may develop after any type of cancer diagnosis.
Anxiety
Cancer offers plenty of chances to worry both during and after cancer treatment. After you or someone you love is diagnosed with cancer, anxious thoughts and worries like these may become impossible to ignore:
- Is my prognosis accurate?
- What if I made the wrong treatment decision?
- What if my next scan shows the cancer has grown?
The last question represents a special category of anxiety nicknamed “scanxiety” by the cancer community. In an article on Medscape, author Nick Mulcahy explains, “Scanxiety is cancer patients’ fear and worry associated with imaging, both before and after a test (before the results are revealed).”
It’s normal to worry about the future sometimes, but when those worries begin to impede your ability to fully live your life, it’s time to ask for help.
A mental health counselor or therapist can help you determine what you are dealing with and how you can manage it. They may also recommend anti-anxiety medications such as Ativan or Xanax.
Depression
Depression affects an estimated 15% to 25% of cancer patients, according to the National Cancer Institute. Patients and their loved ones may develop depression because of the diagnosis itself, anxiety about the future, a changing self-image or even the side effects of certain cancer treatments.
It’s important to note that depression is not the same thing as feeling sad. Clinical depression often manifests in mood swings, fatigue, feelings of emptiness that last for more than a few days and feelings of helplessness or worthlessness. This may require medical attention.
Depression can affect all those around, not just the patient. Melanie Ball, who lost her dad to mesothelioma in 1993 when she was only 14 years old, also had to witness her mother sink into a deep depression that lasted for years after his death. Melanie’s mother chose to suffer in silence, but no one should have to face a life-changing illness, such as cancer or depression, alone.
If you or someone you love is suffering from depression, there is help. Many kinds of medical professionals can treat this condition through counseling, therapy or medication. Joining a support group can also make a big difference for those affected by cancer. In fact, studies show people with terminal cancers who participate in support groups have higher survival rates and increased quality of life.
Grief
People may grieve at many different times during and after a cancer battle, and grief is often shared by a patient’s entire support network. Lorraine Kember, a mesothelioma widow, explains how a cancer diagnosis can start the grieving process:
Anticipatory grief is the name given to the mix of emotions experienced when we are living with the expectation of a personal loss and grieving because of it. Anticipatory grief is particularly relevant to anyone who has received a terminal medical diagnosis and for people who love and care for that person.
Living with the expectation of death or loss can cause us to experience the same array of emotions that develop after the loss actually happens, including shock, denial, helplessness, sorrow, anger and physical pain.
While grief is normal during and after a cancer battle, you don’t have to grieve alone. Spend time with your family; they may be experiencing the same thing. Seek out grief support groups, which are often available at local hospices. And above all, remember to take things one day at a time.
If you or someone you know needs help, call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. You can also text HELLO to 741-741 for free, 24-hour support from the Crisis Text Line. Outside of the U.S., please visit the International Association for Suicide Prevention for a database of resources.
Original Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/3-ways-cancer-can-impact-someones-mental-health_us_59e8ab9de4b0153c4c3ec587